This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-323808, filed Oct. 22, 2001, the entire contents of this application are incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vending machine for vending a selected product in response to a deposition of coins or bills and a depression of a product selecting button. In particular, the present invention relates to a vending machine that allows products contained in a plurality of product columns and a vending operation in which a selected product in a given product column is guided to a product vending outlet to be seen from outside through a transparent front panel and to an method of controlling operations of the vending machine.
2. Description of the Related Art
A vending machine of this type comprises a plurality of shelves vertically spaced apart in a storage room, a plurality of product columns provided on each of the shelves side by side, an elevator capable of moving up and down, and a product bucket capable of moving sideways on the elevator, as described in Japanese Patent publication No. 2000-82171 and H9-259342.
Because products contained in each product column can be seen from outside through a transparent panel of a main door, a purchaser can see the products contained in each product column and select a desired one. Upon depositing coins or bills and depression of a product selecting button by the purchaser, the elevator and the product bucket move so that the product bucket faces the prescribed product column containing the product to be sold in a position where the product can be carried out of the column. Then, the product is carried out of the given product column into the product bucket and the product placed in the bucket is guided to a product vending outlet.
There is a problem with the vending machine in which each product column has a conveyer belt on which the products can be placed in a line and the conveyer belt of the given product column is moved forward to carry the foremost product on the conveyer belt into the product bucket. That is, after the foremost product on the conveyer belt is carried out, the front edge of the next foremost product on that conveyer belt is not positioned in line with the other products due to a difference in size between them.
Especially in the see-through type vending machine that makes products contained in each product column visible to the purchaser through the transparent front panel for selection of the product to buy, variations in the positions of the front edges of the foremost products can significantly degrade the appearance of the products and diminish the purchasers"" appetite for buying.
The present invention relevant to a vending machine comprises: a plurality of product columns each having a conveyer belt capable of moving forward and backward; a belt driving apparatus for moving the conveyer belt forward and backward; an elevator provided in front of the product columns and being capable of moving up and down; an elevator driving apparatus for moving the elevator up and down; a product bucket provided in the elevator and being capable of moving sideways; a bucket driving apparatus for moving the product bucket sideways; product carrying-out means for moving the elevator and the product bucket so the product bucket faces a given product column containing products and moving forward the conveyer belt of the given product column to carry a foremost product of the products placed in line on the conveyer belt into the product bucket; and product position adjustment means for moving the conveyer belt of the given product column forward or backward to adjust a position of the front edge of a next foremost product on the conveyer belt to a given position after the foremost product in the given product column is carried into the product bucket.
Also, the present invention relevant to an operation method of a vending machine; which has a plurality of product columns each having a conveyer belt capable of moving forward and backward, a belt driving apparatus for moving the conveyer belt forward and backward, an elevator provided in front of the product columns and being capable of moving up and down, an elevator driving apparatus for moving the elevator up and down, a product bucket provided in the elevator and being capable of moving sideways, and a bucket driving apparatus for moving the product bucket sideways; comprises the steps of: moving the elevator and the product bucket so the product bucket faces a given product column containing products; moving forward the conveyer belt of the given product column to carry a foremost product of the products placed in line on the conveyer belt into the product bucket; and moving the conveyer belt of the given product column forward or backward to adjust a position of the front edge of a next foremost product on the conveyer belt to a given position.
According to said vending machine and said operation method, even if the front edges of the products on the timing belts does not come to the given position due to variations in size of the products while the products are being carried out of the product columns into the product bucket, the positions of the front edges of the products can be adjusted to the given position by moving the timing belt forward or backward after the products were carried out of the product columns into the product buckets.
Therefore, even if the products of different sizes are contained in the product columns, forward or backward variations in positions of the front edges of the next foremost products on the timing belts of the product columns can be prevented. In addition, since the front edges of the next foremost products in the product columns can be aligned with the given position regardless of their size, the appearance of the products contained in the product columns for a purchaser to directly see them through the transparent front panel for choosing one to buy can be enhanced to inspire the purchasers"" appetite for buying the products.
The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings.